Hydro-sporting machine



Aug. 19, 1930. w. c. WALLACE 1,773,210

HYDRO SPORTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 21, 1928 2 Sheets-Shee 1 INVENTORY W.C. WALLACE HYDRO SPORTING MACHINE Aug. 19, 1930.

Filed Jan. 21, 1928 2 Sheets-Shee FIEIE.

' I VENTOR Patented Aug. 19, 1930 unirsn erases! PATENT OFFICE,

WILLIAM CHARLES WALLACE, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI HYDRO-SPOBTING-MACHINE Application filed January 21, 1928. Serial No. 248,464.

This invention relates to a submersible sporting vessel, which I term ahydro-spor ing machine, designed especially for the use of bathers atbathing beaches and the like.

The object of my invention is to provide a vessel. in which the bathermay sit and propel him or herself over the surface of the water, anddive to a greater or less extent be neath the surface of the water.

A further object is to provide a buoyant vessel which is unsinkable anduncapsizable, and which will afford exercise, amusement and enjoymentwith complete safety.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination andarrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, referencebeing made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sideelevation of the vessel.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section on line A of Figure Figure 8 is a topplan view of the vessel.

Figure 4 is a transverse section on line 13-13 of Figure 1.

In carrying my invention into practice I provide a submersible boatcomprising a body or hull 1, which may be of any suitable form,preferably of the form as shown. This boat body is preferablyconstructed of sheet metal throughout, but may be made of any othersuitable material or materials.

The front and rear or bow and stern ends of the body 1, are separated ina manner to form a central portion thereof by vertical transversepartitions 2 and. 3, and being open at the bottom allowing the water tobe in the center portion thereof, thus the bather is sit ting in waterat all times. The bow and stern ends are rendered buoyant by means of water-tight tanks 4 and 5 arranged in a manner and size to cause the body1, to float partly submerged to a oepth indicated by the water line whenloaded. The center of gravity and buoyancy are so arranged as to preventany liability of the craft capsizing under ordinary conditions ofservice.

The central portion of the body 1 is former to provide a well or cockpit6 the side walls of this well. or cockpit are cut away as shown at 7.The well or cockpit 6 is also open at its bottom shown at 8 to allow thewater to nor mally rise therein to the water line. level,

giving the occupant the benefit of flow of water.

The boat as shown is designed to receive a sin le occupant, though maybe made to carry two or more occupants, who sit within the cockpit 1,with the lower port-ion of his or her body submerged in the water andmanually propels the boat by means of suitable propelling mechanismhereinafter described. A

water proof seat or saddle 9 for use of the occupant is shown andcarried by a post 10 fitted for longitudinal and vertical adjust ment11, clamping nuts 12 01 the like being pro Med for securing the seat inthe desired position. The bather occupying the seat 9 propels the craftthrough the medium of pedal cranks 13 carried by a crank shaft 14journaled in bearings upon hanger brackets 15, to which shaft is fixed aspiral gear 16 meshing with a spiral worm pinion 17 upon the forward endofa longitudinal shaft 18. The brackets 15 depend beneath the well orcockpit 6 and held laterally by diagonal braces 19, suitably fixed tothe hull, the shaft 18 also being provided with bearingscarrying a screwpropeller 20 a U-shaped guard or shield 21 secured to thehanger brackets15,

which guard encloses the drive gearing and prevents the clothes or limbsof the occupant from coming in contact therewith and becoming damaged orinjured. It will be understood that the lower portion of thebody of theoperator will be submerged and that by application of foot power to thedrive gearing described the propeller will be operated to drive thecraft forward.

Fixed to the sides of the stern end of the body 1 are stationarywater-tight tanks 22 which act as stabilizersto normally maintain thehorizontal trim and stability of the craft. Arranged at the sides of thebow portion of the body 1 are diving planes 23 which are normallydisposed in a horizontal plane and operate in conjunction with the tanks22 keeping the vessel longitudinally and laterally balanced. The saidplanes 23 are mounted upon the opposite ends of a transverse shaft 2 Lextending through the wire rpe 28 passing along the sides of the body 1through guide pulleys 29 and 30 and having its internradiate* portionwound a number of times around a drum 31. The drum 81 is journaled forrotation at 32 and held from longitudinal movement in a bracket 33 supor-ted by the forward end of the body 1, an extended through said drumis a control shaft 34 provided with a hand wheel 35. The hand wheel 35is arranged so as to be conveniently grasped and manipuby the o erator,and the shaft 34 is splined or feat ered' to slide longitudinally indedent of the drum 31 and to connect the rum therewith for rotation ineither directiom whereby the rudder 26 may be adjusted for steering thevessel. Fixed to the shaft 34 is an annularly grooved collar 36 engagedby the forked or upper end 37 of the rocker arm 25, whereby, throughforward and backward sliding movements of the shaft 34, the planes 23may be tilted for diving and ascending actions, as will be readilyunderstood.

The craft is particularly intended for use by bat-hers at bathingbeaches, for the purpose of aquatic s on, exercise and amusement, and itwil be understood that the bather may propel the craft about the surfaceof the water at will, and may also, by tilting the plane's 23, dive-to agreater or less extent beneath the surface of the water. As the operatordrives the pedals, the craft will move forward on an even keel until the81121110328 are tilted. She then goes down at e we to an extentdetermined by the angleof inclination and the speed of the The momentthe operator slackens spee'd or stops pedaling, the craft comes back toits ,normal osition at even keel, as the buoyancy is en ciently great tokeep the craft afloat at all times, except when she is forced under-bythe planes. A type of sport machineembodymg the 'hydroplane divingprincl le, is thus provided which offers every desire element ofabsolute safety, sport, exercise and amusement.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claimisubmersiblehydro-sport boat C0111- a hull having a central bottomless coclrpi saidhull enclosing bow and stern air tanks, lateral stabilizing air tanksspaced from after part of said hull on each side thereof, and manualpropelling means for boat.

2.1 sport boat as in claim 1 wherein the ing rudder.

WM. C. WALLACE.

